The present invention relates generally to hand bandages, and more specifically to a bandage for protecting the thumb or a finger of the wearer's hand. The protector bandage serves to protect a digit on the wearer's hand while the digit is healing from surgeries, injuries, breaks, or similar problems.
Bandages are often required to protect a person's hand while it is healing. It is a common occurrence, however, for a bandage to inadvertently come off of the finger when the bandage loses its adhesiveness to the skin. This is especially common in bigger bandages and bandages that cover areas that are in frequent motion, such as a finger or a thumb. Additionally, larger bandages often require the use of tape or clamps to keep the bandages in a constant position, which adds to the bulkiness and uncomfortability of the bandage.
Previous designs have attempted to solve the problems associated with bulky bandages with minimal success. U.S. Pat. No. 2,712,313 issued to Levy describes a surgical dressing that is used for an injured finger. The design taught by Levy allows a person to insert their finger into a tube with a string extending from one end of the tube. Therefore, the person must tie the string around the hand having the injured finger or the actual finger itself in order to secure the bandage to the finger. Such a design is difficult for the wearer to apply since the wearer will typically only have one hand to tie and secure the dressing to the finger.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,339 issued to Maine, et al. describes a draftsman's glove. The design in the Maine patent is for a glove that covers a draftsman's little finger so as to prevent lead and ink from getting on the draftsman's hand and to reduce the amount of lead or ink smearing or dirtying the paper. The glove has a seam across the wearer's little finger and the glove extends from below the tip of the little finger to the wrist of the wearer, with a tapered side going from the little finger across the palm of the hand to the opposite side of the wrist. This design is specifically created for use with a little finger, and it is bulky around the palm of the wearer's hand. The nontapered side extends all the way to the wearer's wrist, and the tapered side extends across the palm to the other side of the wrist. This design would not be allowed in use with any digit other than the little finger.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,827,635 issued to Rasmus describes a thumb protector for a bowler. This design provides for a covering that encircles the length of the wearer's thumb while allowing the top of the thumb to be open. This covering is further secured around the thumb with a strap that is attached to the base of the protector. This design is similar to the design described in the Levy patent, and is difficult for the user to apply because it requires the user to tie two straps around one wrist, therefore only allowing the use of one hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,510 issued to Knowles, et al. describes a thumb protector for fishing. This thumb protector provides a padded surface with an elastic backing to allow the wearer to engage a fish's mouth and the sharp teeth therein. The base of the thumb covering is attached to a strip of cloth that surrounds the wrist to secure the protector to the thumb. The ends of the cloth have patches of Velcro attached to them to thereby secure the thumb covering to the wearer's hand. Such a design is easier to attach to the hand than the designs described in the Levy and Knowles patents, but the design requires the added elements of velcro and may still be difficult for a person to apply with only one hand available.
What is needed, and not found in the prior art, is a protector bandage that is comfortable for the user, that is easy to place on the user's hand, digits, and any other guards or splints surrounding the digit, and that keeps any pre-existing bandages securely located by the injured digit.